Sainted Kiprian, Metropolitan of
Kiev and All Russia, was by origin a Serb, and asceticised at Athos. By his
pious life and education he came to the attention of the Constantinople
Patriarch Philotheos (1354-1355, 1362-1376), who in 1375 ordained Kiprian as
Metropolitan of Kiev and Lithuania. At the Constantinople Council it was
decided, to avoid a fragmentation of the Russian metropolia, that "upon
the death of Sainted Alexei, he should become the Metropolitan of All Rus'".
At Moscow Saint Kiprian endured many a sorrow from the great-prince, and
therefore initially he lived either in Lithuania or at Constantinople. Only in
the year 1390, during the time of Great-prince Vasilii Dimitrievich, was he
accepted as primate at Moscow. Saint Kiprian concerned himself over the
correction of the Divine-service books. There are preserved autographic
manuscripts of certain Slavonic translations by the saint, witnessing to his
great scientific work. And by his pastoral epistles he encouraged the faith of
the Church. His activity in the translation of liturgical literature is widely
known.